In the inaugural issue of Rainbow Votes 2020, Xtra’s Nico Lang explores the 2020 political landscape through the lens of community organizing—from getting queer and trans youth on the ballot to tackling issues of inequality frequently overlooked by elected officials.
Here’s what’s in store for this week’s Rainbow Votes 2020. (And remember: The Brief is just your sneak peek into our new U.S. election newsletter. Subscribe now to get the full version, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis and Q&As.)
The kids are alright
How can we inspire LGBTQ2 youth to run for office? A new organization, Pride in Running, is trying to achieve just that. Lang sits down with the Chicago-based organization founder Riley Reed to discuss young people in politics and how queer and trans youth are empowering LGBTQ2 candidates already in the running.
“Housing is safety”
Lang also speaks to Kayla Gore, a longtime trans advocate in Memphis, Tennessee, who is creating safe spaces for an extremely vulnerable population. Housing, particularly for Black trans folks, has long been precarious—and Gore’s community project, My Sistah’s House, attempts to address the lack of federal protections for the trans community. In Gore’s words: “Housing is safety.”
ICYMI
The New York Times reported that the White House pursued a request to get President Donald Trump added to Mount Rushmore, despite the fact that there isn’t room for another face on the monument.
Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Joe Biden is expected to announce a vice-presidential pick in the coming days after weeks of sexist attacks on the shortlist of women believed to be finalists for the job, including Senator Kamala Harris and former national security advisor Susan Rice, both of whom are Black.
Gifs and Gaffes
Donald Trump makes a scene in a one-on-one interview with Axios’ Jonathan Swan on August 3.
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